Page 17 - BusinessWest July 7, 2021

Serving the Underbanked
Berkshire Bank Opens ReevX Labs in Downtown Springfield
Ron Molina-Brantley calls it “an ecosys- tem connector.”
“We want to connect nonprofits with
other nonprofits and enhance the local economy through financial-literacy train-
ing and technical assistance,” he
said in describing — or at least
beginning to describe — the goals of ReevX Labs, a new initiative by Berkshire Bank that creates com- munity and co-working spaces to serve entrepreneurs, small busi- nesses, nonprofits, and the public at large.
organizations succeed.”
In Springfield, it’s a collaborative space that
offers such entities technical assistance, profes- sional-development consulting — with the help
The ReevX Labs location in downtown Springfield on Bridge Street.
of Valley Venture Mentors (VVM), its neighbor on Bridge Street — financial education, and even pop-up retail space to test an idea’s proof of concept.
“An entrepreneur — let’s say a jewelry design- er or a clothing designer — can use our space
to test out proof of concept through a process with VVM,” where coaches will help the client
ReevX
Continued on page 22
“We don’t want to take away
from the local economy, we want to
enhance it,” said Molina-Brantley,
ReevX team leader and relation-
ship manager for the Springfield location (the first ReevX Labs space opened in Roxbury last year, and more are planned). “That’s why I call it an ecosystem connector — we want to be the glue to provide resources where they’re needed downtown.”
ReevX Labs, as the bank describes it, “brings together a welcoming, inclusive space to make new connections, explore collaboration oppor- tunities, and access resources to help entrepre- neurs, artists, small businesses, and nonprofit
“I call it an ecosystem connector — we want to be the glue to provide resources where they’re needed downtown.”
RON MOLINA-BRANTLEY
PLAN
Doing things which require commitment and effort says a lot about you. Our commitment and effort to help clients achieve their financial goals has long been part of who we are since day one.
The goals and challenges in life vary in size and scale. Hence, our planning process is one of collaboration, trust, caution, optimism, among other details. Having a plan helps mitigate uncertainty and doubt. It helps clear a path for our journey together.
1500 Main Street Springfield, MA 01115 T: 413-733-5111 F: 413-747-0848
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BANKING & FINANCE
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